Shloka 20

विष्णोः स्तुतिः—शिवसतीरक्षावचनम्

Viṣṇu’s Hymn and the Petition for Śiva–Satī’s Protection

Devanagari script

अहमेवं तथा दृष्ट्वा दक्षजां च पतिव्रताम् । स्मराविष्टमना वक्त्रं द्रष्टुकामोभवं मुने

Transliteration

ahamevaṃ tathā dṛṣṭvā dakṣajāṃ ca pativratām | smarāviṣṭamanā vaktraṃ draṣṭukāmobhavaṃ mune

Translation

So wurde, als ich Dakṣas Tochter sah — die gattentreue, gelobte Ehefrau — mein Geist von Kāma ergriffen; o Weiser, ich begehrte, ihr Antlitz zu schauen.

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (एवमर्थक अव्यय)

• tathā: so, in that way
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (तथार्थक अव्यय)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश्-धातु, त्वा/कृदन्त)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/त्वा); expresses prior action

• dakṣajām: Dakṣa’s daughter (Satī)
• dakṣajām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣa + jā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (dakṣasya jā = daughter of Dakṣa); Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• pativratām: devoted to her husband, chaste
• pativratām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pativratā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; qualifying dakṣajām

• smara-āviṣṭa-manāḥ: one whose mind was seized by desire
• smara-āviṣṭa-manāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: smara + āviṣṭa + manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (smareṇa āviṣṭaṃ manaḥ yasya saḥ = whose mind is possessed by love); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• vaktram: face
• vaktram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• draṣṭu-kāmaḥ: desirous to see
• draṣṭu-kāmaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: draṣṭu (दृश्-धातु, तुमुन्/कृदन्त) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (draṣṭuṃ kāmaḥ = desirous to see); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• abhavam: I became
• abhavam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू-धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/past), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Rudra) narrating to a sage (mune)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati
• Daksha
• Kama (Smara)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse frames Satī’s pativratā-dharma as spiritually luminous, and shows how even the force of Kāma becomes meaningful when oriented toward dharmic, divinely sanctioned union—hinting at desire’s purification rather than mere indulgence.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

In the Satīkhaṇḍa narrative, Shiva’s personal (saguṇa) līlā—seeing Satī and being drawn toward her—prepares the ground for devotees to approach the transcendent (nirguṇa) Lord through accessible forms, including the Liṅga, where emotions are refined into devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to sublimate desire through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and inner restraint; devotees may also adopt Śaiva disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and rudrākṣa as supports for purity of mind.